The small island Clauda is located at
E24° N35° and Malta is located at
E14°30’ N36°. Accordingly, Malta is located in a direction
just slightly north from true west relative to the location of Clauda. If the
sail less sailing ship Paul was sailing in was drifting straight along with the
wind the Euroclydon would have been coming out of a direction between east and
east south east, i.e. an easterly or E.S.E wind, but it is certainly possible
that the captain, fearing the infamous Syrtis, was attempting what he could to
reach a more northerly latitude, thus making up for the apparently southerly
touch of the east wind. On the other hand, who is to say that the Euroclydon is
not the name for any tempestuous storm wind coming from an easterly direction?
After all, that seems to be all that is necessarily indicated by the roots of
the word Euroclydon itself.

Nonetheless, below are found some considerations re
the words in the New Testament translated Euroclydon (and Syrtis,) a
conclusion, a few pertinent references, and common definitions pertaining to
the word Euroclydon as used in:

Textus Receptus, the most
reliable New Testament manuscripts, is using the Greek words translated
“Euroclydon” and “Syrtis” (or “quicksands” (KJV,)) only once.

It appears as though Strong’s
G4950, in defining this Greek word as Syrtis Major, is basing its definition
upon a belief that Euroclydon is a northeasterly wind rather than an easterly
or east south easterly wind, but is this a correct definition?

Strong’s G4950: ”σύρτις, surtis,
soor'-tis. From G4951; a shoal (from the sand drawn
thither by the waves), that is, the Syrtis Major or great bay on the
North coast of Africa.”

Webster’s Third International
Dictionary is taking a more uncommitted stand stating merely:

Possibly there could be a translation problem here based
upon an original Hebrew manuscript? Could it be that the ending -oclydon is
somehow derived out of the Hebrew word for “east wind,” קדים, (pronounced ‘kaw-deem'”) perhaps in combination with
the Hebrew word for “complete” כּלל (pronounced kaw-lal') as in perfectly east?

Strong’s H6921:

קדםקדים

qâdîymqâdim

kaw-deem',kaw-deem'

From H6923; the fore or
front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially eastward,
for brevity the Eastwind)

H3634

כּלל

kâlal

kaw-lal'

A primitive root; to complete

Additionally the ending -oclydon
is reminiscent of the word “cyclon.”According to Pliny the Elder, the name of
the east south easterly wind is called Eurus and the winters are characterized
by winds out of east north east. The time of the events recorded in Acts 27 is
clearly the first part of winter. Therefore, and considering also the fact that
the wind referenced in Acts 27:14 was driving the ship, with its sail taken
down, in a direction between west and west north west it would make sense if
the word Euroclydon were to be derived out a combination of a word meaning
“east” or “true east” and a word meaning “gale” or “storm,” i.e. eur- +
ocyklone, would it not?

Conclusion:

Based solely on the facts as
recorded in Acts 27-28:1, I conclude that, in the case of the events recorded
in Acts 27-28:1, the word translated “Euroclydon” represents an almost true
easterly storm wind, and the word translated “Syrtis” or “the quicksands”
references Syrtis Minor. Cf. below!

“The spring opens the seas for the
navigators. In the beginning of this season the west winds soften, as it were,
the winter sky, the sun having now gained the 25th degree of Aquarius; this is
on the sixth day before the Ides of February2
…

“After these the south winds become more frequent, until the appearance
of Arcturus12
, which rises eleven days before the autumnal equinox. At this time Corus sets
in; Corus is an autumnal wind, and is in the opposite direction to Vulturnus.
After this, and generally for forty-four days after the equinox, at the setting of the Vergiliæ, the winter commences, which
usually happens on the third of the Ides of November13 . This is the period of the winter north wind,
which is very unlike the summer north wind,
and which is in the opposite direction to Africus.
For seven days before the winter solstice, and for the same length of time
after it, the sea becomes calm, in order that the king-fishers may rear their
young; from this circumstance they have obtained the name of the halcyon days14
; the rest of the season is winterly15
.”

Euroclydon- south-east billow, the name of the
wind which blew in the AdriaticGulf, and which struck the ship in which Paul was
wrecked on the coast of Malta
(Acts 27:14; R.V.,
"Euraquilo," i.e., north-east wind).
It is called a "tempestuous wind," i.e., as literally rendered, a
"typhonic wind," or a typhoon. It is the modern Gregalia or Levanter.
(Comp. Jonah 1:4.)